How Artificial Tattoo, “Henna” Is Beautifying Women In The North
There was excitement in the hall for the wedding reception as guests were seated, waiting for the procession of the bridal train to usher in the bride and the groom. Suddenly, all heads turned and every eye focussed on Deborah Moses as she made her entry into the hall. She spotted a beautifully cut and well-padded dress made of chiffon fabrics that stop at her knee.
Deborah’s legs and hands were the attraction and it did not take long before everybody knew that she wore the dress to showcase the carefully drawn henna, also known as a local tattoo on her hands and legs. Such is the attraction that comes with the local tattoo that is common among women in the Northern part of Nigeria.
Laali, as is popularly called in Northern Nigeria, and Mehndi among the Indians has come to stay as a beauty complements among the womenfolk in Northern Nigeria. Worn especially on wedding days, Muslim festivities and other special events, the designs of henna symbolise excitement and celebration.
Henna, or Laali, is an evergreen plant gotten from a Henna tree, the mignonette tree, and the Egyptian privet. A member of the Loosestrife family, henna originally comes from Egypt far back in the Iron Age, and the country is still one of the main suppliers of the plant. The henna plant typically grows in the drier climates of India, Northern Africa, and the Middle East.
In Nigeria, the application of Henna design especially the northern Nigeria arrived as early as the period of the Roman Empire, and this age-long tradition has been embedded into the Northern Nigerian culture with the majority of Hausa and Fulani tribes wearing it at the bridal ceremony called “Wuni or Sa Laali” although modern brides from other tribes also rock the culture to show off their sophisticated taste and visibility.
The red-ish brown dye is made by crushing the dried leaves and then mixing the fine powder with other natural and acidic ingredients such as eucalyptus oil, lemon juice, hydrogen or black tea. Then, the mixture is poured into a cone-shaped tube to be applied to the part of the body for which a design is chosen from thousands of designs including paisleys, geometrical or floral and left untouched for a couple of hours. When the paste is washed away, it leaves a beautiful orange-brown or black design that fades in a few days.
Gradually, the practice has turned into a trade from which income is drawn. A Henna artist, Amina Abubakar who was born into the family business from Kastina explained that the art of henna design is seen as a gift by most people although, “I found myself designing henna from a very early age because it dated back to the days of my great grandmother when the art came naturally”.
Meenalish Henna as is called by her customers is 25 years old and imparted the art of making henna to more than 15 persons who had served an apprenticeship under her.
“One needs interest, patience, and natural skill to bring it to perfection because most times as the design is being drawn the patterns flow in, therefore, such skills requires no manual.
The name, Meenalish Henna came because of Amina’s unique designs that have continued to attract patronage from far and wide.
“Taking henna as a line of business was a decision I made from a tender age because it is what I love doing and I have been able to earn a living from it especially with its embrace by many on ordinary days and not just on occasions like weddings.
“I can design at least 3-4 persons in one hour because it is what I have mastered in and it costs between N500 and N15, 000 to have a Henna design done depending on the design and occasion.
Henna is basically drawn for fashion or for tattoo lovers who are scared of making it permanent and so, its lifespan is between three weeks and a month, unlike a tattoo that stays permanently on the body.
Reasons for Henna vary but all agree that it is just for beautification.
Rahina Audu who is based in Abuja said she is familiar with the act as she is from the north, “Henna is made out of natural ingredients so I don’t find it harmful applying it on my skin every other day, especially during a wedding ceremony.
“I prefer it because it gives me an opportunity to change the designs and colours plus it’s not permanent and it’s halal”.
Victoria Joseph loves henna designs as worn by her Muslim friends but has not tried it for religious reasons.
Fatima Bakar loves her skin and would not want Henna ink to stain her. “I don’t find henna attractive even as a northerner just because I always had the feeling it will stain my skin though I have nothing against it because I use it for my hair treatments”.
Some men agreed that henna complements women’s beauty. One of them is Abbas Ali who stated that“I especially love it when my woman wears the design especially if the pattern is very creative”.
Ben Okoro says a henna tattoo can spoil the skin, a fact that Meenalish admitted when she said it has side effects. “Henna just like everything else also have side effects which count only with sensitive skin, when the leaves are too old or when the henna is not mixed well with adequate water”.
Henna’s use is not only for skin beautification according to Meenalish who highlighted other health benefits of the tree and its leaves.
Henna is good for the treatment of skin problems like ringworm, athletes foot etc. and also effective in treating cracked nails, while many women see it as an alternative to nail polish.
“The bark of the henna plant is known to be effective in the treatment of jaundice and some diseases, it can serve as a remedy to relieve headaches, Natural treatment for diaper rash, a powerful detoxifier, and also regulates blood pressure amongst others.”
Apart from its dyeing properties, the constant use of henna softens and strengthens hair and adds shine to it. It also acts as a natural remedy for hair loss. With its amazing ability to retain the pH balance of the scalp, henna naturally and effectively cures dryness, dandruff as well as premature greying of hair according to the popular Meenalish Henna
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